The Panasonic AG-HVX200 can record in several resolutions and formats, which will appeal to nature or sports videographers alike. When Sony released its HDV line of camcorders, many complained that HDV has too high of compress to be useful for filming fast moving objects (like in COPS). If Panasonic can deliver on everything, this camcorder may rule the market.

The following recording resolutions are supported:

720 X 480 pixel interlace or 24/30 progressive frames 1280 X 720 pixel interlace or 60/30/24 progressive frames 1920 X 1080 pixel interlace or 24/30 progressive frames.

The 480 interlace and progressive resolutions can be recorded to Mini DV tape, while all other resolutions must use P2 cards.

The following recording formats are supported

DVCPro HD (100 Mb/s) DVCPro50 (50 Mb/s) DVCPro (25 Mb/s) DV (25 Mb/s)

For the DVCPro formats, the camcorder color samples at 4:2:2, which will offer greater information for color correction and chromakeying.

Audio

The Panasonic AG-HVX200's audio inputs are on the right side and there are two XLR audio inputs (+48V Phantom power). Up to four audio channels can be supported with an adapter. The audio is recorded without compression, which provides ultimate flexibilty for audio editing.

On the back of the camcorder, under the eyepiece, are the two P2 slots. Volume controls for the two audio channels are underneath. In the bottom left corner, you can see the switch for record or playback mode. Finally, you can see the battery pack at the bottom.